


102 Minutes

by The_Pirate_King



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 9/11, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, M/M, Mentions of Cancer, Mentions of Sex, World trade center, sort of tiggering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 15:42:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8019691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Pirate_King/pseuds/The_Pirate_King
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi was late to work that day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	102 Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> So as an American I felt compelled to write this piece. I've been working on it for a while and wanted to post it on 9/11 but editing took longer than expected. I wanted this piece to be respectful but also capture the tone of that day. I didn't want it to be extremely graphic so I left/deleted some of the parts with jumpers and what not out.  
> I was only six the day the towers fell but I remember that day regardless. It was tragic and we didn't really do much that day in class. Throughout the day everyone kept going home early with their parents and recess wasn't outside. I had just moved to WA so I thought that was normal. But when I got onto that nearly empty bus that afternoon, I had a feeling something was wrong. It took years for me to totally grasp what had happened that day but I will always remember that day. It's not something I think I will forget. 
> 
> This work is dedicated to all the innocent lives lost that day, to the first responders, and other personnel who worked tirelessly to try and save everyone they could.

“God dammit, Eren!” Levi complained as he hastily yanked his slacks on, fastening them and weaving his belt through the loops.

“What?” Eren mumbled as he walked into their bedroom carrying a mug of steaming coffee in one hand and a steaming mug of black tea in the other.

“I’m going to be late because of you!” Despite his accusation, Levi still accepted the mug of tea Eren offered to the man.

“How the hell was I supposed to predict the batteries were going to die?” Eren griped.

“I told you all week to pick up batteries on the way home from work but _no_ you just had to forget.” Levi glared at the man from over his mug.

“Well _excuse me_.” Eren huffed. “If you’re so late then why are you standing here arguing with me and drinking tea, huh?”

“Shut up.” Levi grunted as he strode out to their living room quickly setting his mug into the sink in the attached kitchen. “Nice day.” He commented absent-mindedly.

“Mhm,” Eren agreed. “It is. But I can’t shake the feeling that something terrible is going to happen today.”

“You’ve been getting that feeling a lot lately,” Levi pointed out as he tugged on his shoes. “All week in fact. And you’ve been wrong every day thus far.”

“Still,” Eren said as he leaned against the wall watching Levi put on his shoes and grab his briefcase. “Something just feels _off_. It’s worse today than it has been the past few days.”

“Eren,” Levi sighed but not without affection. His “feelings” may have been wrong in the past but Levi knew that Eren’s “feelings” were as genuine as Eren himself. He strode over to where Eren was leaning and rested a gentle hand on Eren’s bronze cheek and continued, “Everything will be fine. I’ll come home after work tonight- with new batteries for the alarm clock- and we’ll cook dinner and watch a movie. A stay at home date night. Sound good?”

“Yeah,” Eren smiled softly. “Just…be extra careful today, okay?”

“Of course,” Levi smiled back before leaning up to kiss his partner softly. “I’ll call you when I get to work, alright?”

“Yeah, that’d be swell.” Eren whispered against Levi’s mouth before kissing him once more.

“Alright. I’ll see you tonight after work. I love you.” Levi said and patted Eren’s cheek affectionately before opening the door to their apartment.

“Levi, wait!” Eren stopped the man.

“What?” Levi huffed.

“You’re tie is crooked. Here, let me fix it for you.” Eren fixed the older man’s tie before patting it and said, “Are you _sure_ you can't take one of the five million sick days you’ve accrued over the years? Just for today?”

“Eren,” Levi huffed and laughed at the same time before turning around and walking down the hallway of their complex. “I love you!” He called over his shoulder.

“I love you too!” Eren called after him as Levi entered the elevator.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________        

It happened as Levi was handed his morning tea from the Starbucks just a block from his office.

            There was a loud sound like a low flying plane. “ _Weird_ ” Levi thought but then again, it could just have been a helicopter landing nearby or some sort of airshow going on over the water. Moments later there was a loud crash followed by screaming and cries of terror.

“Oh my God!” A woman screamed from one of the tables.

            Seconds later the whole room erupted into cries of terror followed by panic. Levi couldn’t see over the tall ass giant that was blocking his view of the outside but he knew something had happened.

            It was then that the television in the corner of the room changed to the news and Levi saw what had caused the panic.

_“We are coming to you live from Manhattan.”_ The announcer said. _“We are getting reports of an explosion inside one of the North World Trade Center._ ”         

            After a moment of shock, Levi sprang into action. He raced out onto the streets where hundreds of other civilians were also flooding the streets. All the people on the streets stared in silent shock as they watched one of the World Trade Center Towers burn right before their eyes.

            He had no idea how long he stood there for but when he did come back to himself, he began to run. Not away from the towers but towards them. All he could think about was how he was supposed to be there at that moment. He was late for work, he should’ve been in the building next door firing up his computer for the day. But no, Eren forgetting to buy batteries, his addiction to tea, and shitty traffic had made him late. _He was supposed to be there._

            As he ran, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He was lucky, he had a high paying job as an attorney and thus allowed him to indulge in a few nice things here and there. One of his most recent indulgences was in a cell phone. They were relatively new at the time, but he had caved into Eren’s insistence that he should get one because it was “hard to get ahold of him on his work phone.” or “what if there’s an emergency?”.

“Shitty brat was right.” Levi grumbled as he ran, briefcase in tow. “Come on, pick up dammit!”

            But no one picked up, he got their voicemail instead.

“Dammit!” Levi growled into his phone while he waited for the beep. “Eren, call me as soon as you get this message. It’s urgent. I don’t know if you saw what’s happened but I gotta get down there. My coworkers and friends are in there and I have to make sure they’re safe. I love you. Call me.”

            No sooner than he hung up had he reached the base of the towers. The smell of fire and burning metal was overwhelming. Screaming that he had somehow managed to block out filled his ears, and as he stared at the scene before him, he dropped his briefcase and phone.

“Holy fuck.” He breathed.

“Holy fuck is right!” A man behind him huffed.  
“Armin!” Levi cried in relief at the sight of his partner’s best friend. Armin worked as a tax analyst for another big law firm in the first tower. However, Levi was unsure at the time what floor Armin worked on. He was relieved to see that Armin had been able to escape unharmed besides the small scratch on his cheek.

“Hey,” Armin smiled. “You’re okay too.”

“Yeah,” Levi smiled in relief, something he rarely did. “Eren made me late to work because he kept forgetting to get batteries for our alarm clock on his way home so it subsequently died last night and therefore failed to wake me up this morning.”

“I see you got your morning tea,” Armin chuckled despite the chaos around them as firemen and police officers arrived on the scene.

“Yeah,” Levi raised up the cup that had managed to survive despite Levi running nearly a block to the burning building. “I figured if I was going to be late, then I might as well grab some tea. Besides, what are the going to do, fire me?”

“You are their best lawyer.” Armin nodded in agreement. “I’m glad you were late though-“

“Gentlemen,” A fireman approached the two and cut Armin off. “I need you to get as far away from the scene as possible. We don’t know what happened and the extent of the damage.”

“A plane hit the Tower!” Armin explained. “I was on my way to the elevators from the 12th floor since the printer on my floor broke and _BOOM_! A plane crashed into the side of the Tower above me. I fell to the ground and scratched my cheek but after that, I just ran to the lobby. You don't think it was a terrorist attack, do you?”

“I don't know right now sir,” The fireman said. “All I know is that a plane hit the tower and we need everyone to evacuate the area immediately.”

“Alright,” Armin nodded. “Come on, Levi let’s go home.”

“Wait!” Levi said. “I work in the South Tower, my friends are in there! I need to go and make sure they’re okay! I’m already late to work as is.”

“Levi,” Armin said. “I don’t think that right now your boss is worried about whether or not you’re late to work. I think he’ll forgive you this once.”

“Armin, Erwin and Hanji-“ Levi began.

_“Units 27 and battalion 12 are en route, I repeat Unit 27 and Battalion 12 are en route.”_ The fireman’s walkie talkie spoke.

“I need you two to leave, _now_!” The fireman practically shoved Armin and Levi away from the Towers.

“Come on, Levi we gotta get outta here.” Armin said as he nearly dragged Levi away.

“Fine,” Levi huffed.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

            They had almost reached Levi and Eren’s apartment when the sound of another explosion sounded through the already quiet city.

            Armin and Levi spun around on their heels, conversation halting mid sentence as they shared the same gasp of horror at the sight before them.

“ _No,_ ” Armin cried. “Levi, your Tower just got hit! Oh my God, it’s a terrorist attack, Levi!”

_“It’s a terrorist attack, Levi!”_ echoed through Levi’s stunned mind for what seemed like hours and those five words would haunt him every year on this day for the rest of his life. It was at this moment that he knew that his life, everyone’s lives would never be the same again.

            Levi on impulse reached into his pocket for his cellphone. He was ever grateful that Eren was so pushy that day at the Sprint store. He dialed a number he knew all too well. He dialed his own office.

            As he was listening to his phone ring, the moment that would haunt Levi in his dreams for weeks, months, even years to come occurred.

            Sounds of a fire siren echoed through the streets, horn blaring, but it was none of those sounds that made Levi drop his Nokia. It was the dial tone he received through his phone coupled with a voice he knew all too well shouting through the streets of Manhattan.  
“Outta the way!” Eren’s voice echoed through his mind as if it were an empty cavern. “Move it!”

“Eren…” Levi whispered as he saw the vehicle approach them. “EREN!”

            By what could only be a miracle, Eren heard him. He turned to look at Levi before recognizing the short man he loved so dearly. It was fleeting but Levi saw and heard him clearly as if he were standing right next to him, whispering in his ear.

“I gotta go, Levi. I love you!” Eren shouted to him as he blew a kiss.

“I love you, too! You were right!” Levi screamed as he half chased the fire truck. He knew that he couldn’t catch the vehicle no matter how fast he ran but he still tried. Something inside him knew that Eren had heard him.

“Eren’s on that fire truck,” Armin whispered.

“I know..” Levi muttered.

“Wasn’t he off today?” Armin asked.  
“Yes, but you know how he is. I’m sure they called him in.” Levi said looking at where the fire truck had disappeared from his sight.

“Levi, we gotta get to your apartment. We can’t be out here.” Armin finally said after what felt like years.

            No sooner had he said that than the South Tower-Levi’s tower- collapsed and dust and debris began to engulf the city below.

“Get inside!” Levi shouted as he shoved Armin towards the entrance of his and Eren’s apartment building. “Go! Go!”

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_September 16 th, 2001_

_“We are live from the site where firefighters and first responders are working tirelessly in hopes of uncovering any survivors but hopes are dim at this point-“_ The anchor spoke through the speakers of Levi and Eren’s TV.

            It was 9 o’clock in the morning that Sunday and Levi had not seen nor heard from Eren. He made phone call after phone call, he posted posters all through the city, gave every hospital in New York his picture, begged first responders to give him any information, good or bad, but he came up empty. Levi couldn’t sleep in their bed. He stared at the cup of cold coffee left on the kitchen counter next to the sink. “ _He couldn’t even set it in the sink at least”_ Levi thought at first. But he couldn’t bear to clean it. Eren had set it there and so it would stay until he got Eren back. He reread the note left for him explaining where he’d gone that fateful morning. By now, Levi had memorized it but he stared at the messy handwriting that belonged to his lover. His soulmate.

            The ring of the landline broke him out of his stupor. He raced to phone which was only feet way hoping he’d receive the best call of his life.

“Hello?” Levi answered with a raspy voice.

“Levi,” Armin’s voice breathed through the receiver. “I think they found Eren.”

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_September 11, 2016_

_“The nation reflects on this tragic day that happened 15 year ago-_ “ The voice of some somewhat well known actor echoes through the living room.

“Turn that shit off, you know I hate watching that crap.” Levi growls as he walks into the room, dressed only in his loose fitting pajama bottoms. “I hate being reminded of that day.”

“Levi, you can’t pretend it never happened.” Levi’s friend and ex coworker Hanji informed him.

            Hanji had been in the tower that day. She along with their mutual friend and boss, Erwin had just reached the lobby when the plane hit their Tower. They had fled down the stairs when they saw the first plane strike the North Tower. A move that would save their lives. But it wasn’t enough to save their other coworkers. Since that day, Hanji quit and went back to school to get her doctorate in chemistry. She now worked on medicine research and loved it. Levi and Erwin remained with their firm for ten more years before Levi was offered a position at the D.A.’s office and Erwin decided to change firms now that both Hanji and Levi had left.

“I’m not pretending that it never happened.” Levi explained. “But I'd rather not re-witness the moment that Petra, Aruro, Gunther and Erd died if I don’t have to. I lived it once, I don’t need to do it again every year of my life.”

“You know,” Hanji frowned at him. “You really should go see a psychiatrist about your PTSD. There’s some new medicine that has really made a huge positive impact on people with PTSD.”

“I’m fine,” Levi glared at the speckled woman sitting on his couch. “Why did I even let you come over this weekend anyway?”

“Because,” Said a familiar deep voice behind him. “She wanted to see the baby for the first time. It’s quite a trip from Pennsylvania to Boston.”

“Thank you!” Hanji smiled widely.

“Tch. Excuses.” Levi grumbled but leaned back to kiss his now husband.

            The moment Armin had hung up, Levi had raced to the hospital that Armin had believed Eren was at. Levi didn’t want to get his hopes up too high but when he entered the waiting room and was greeted by Eren’s family he couldn’t help but feel a certain devastation that maybe Eren had been inside one of the Towers as they fell.

            Luckily, that was not the case. Eren had been on site the past five days working search and rescue when he finally collapsed of exhaustion. One of the nurses recognized him from one of Levi’s many flyers and contacted Armin who had been lucky enough to be passing out flyers to nurses and doctors in the waiting room, along with other concerned parents.

            After a few more hours, Eren and Levi along with Armin decided to travel back to Boston to stay with Eren’s mother and father for a few weeks. It would be good for them to escape the tragedy and overwhelming sense of sorrow felt throughout the city and just recover.

            Needless to say, the sex was constant and mind blowing. Levi walked with a limp for several weeks following their reunion.

            Nearly ten years and one lung cancer battle later, Levi and Eren were married and moved to Boston to be closer to Eren’s family. The D.A.’s offer was just icing on the cake.

            A few years after that, Eren and Levi adopted a baby girl that they named Kingsley.

            To say life was perfect was a bit of a stretch but it was pretty damn good. Both Eren and Levi got occasional nightmares from that day but they were few and getting farther in between. That doesn’t mean that either of them enjoyed watching the replays of the event that changed their lives forever each year though.

           

           Neither man would forget those 102 minutes that changed their lives.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you "enjoyed" (I use this term loosely as it is touching a somber topic) this work. I tried to make it as reader friendly as I could. I know some details that I opted to delete and leave out would've been triggering but I acknowledge them as very real events that happened that day. Please feel free to leave a comment! I love feedback! Hopefully there's no errors but it is 2 am so I probably missed a few things here or there.


End file.
